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No, customers can tap on with their debit card, credit card (Visa, Mastercard) or mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay), pay exact fare in cash on buses, or purchase a ticket from a ticket machine (with cash, credit or debit) to ride the O-Train. A complete list of fares can be found here.

If you are eligible for a discounted fare (example: Seniors, Youth, or Community Pass), you must use a Presto card to pay. If you pay an adult fare only, you can use your debit card, credit card, or mobile wallet.

Read more about reduced fares.
Read more about how to set a discounted fare on your Presto card.
Read more about O-Payment.

• Online at prestocard.ca or by phone at 1‑8‑PRESTO‑123 (1‑877‑378‑6123)
  • It can take up to 7 to 10 business days for your card to ship

• In person at an OC Transpo Customer Service Centre or at:

  • Select ServiceOttawa Client Service Centre locations:
    • City Hall
    • Ben Franklin
  • Ticket machines
  • participating Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws and Real Canadian Superstore locations

• Online at prestocard.ca
• Download the official Presto app (Android, Apple) for a simple, easy way to manage and instantly load your card on the go
• In person at participating Shoppers Drug Mart stores, ticket machines, an OC Transpo Customer Service Centre, or at either the City Hall or Ben Franklin ServiceOttawa Client Service Centre 
• By phone at 1-8-PRESTO-123 (1-877-378-6123)

More information on Presto cards.

All O-Train stations, the airport, Algonquin College and some Transitway stations have ticket machines. When entering an O-Train station, ticket machines are located near the fare gates and outside of the fare-paid zone. More information on how to use a ticket machine and their locations.

Yes, as long as you have a monthly pass loaded, or are transferring from an OC Transpo bus to an STO bus.

On your return trip, if you are using funds on your Presto card and your transfer is no longer valid, you will either need to pay cash or use an STO Multi Card on the STO bus.

All fare readers on buses and fare gates at O-Train Line 1 stations now support tap payment by debit card, credit card (Visa, Mastercard) and mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay). 

When you tap your debit card, credit card or mobile wallet, the screen on the fare reader or fare gate will turn green and show "Accepted". You will be charged a regular Adult fare. Tap using the same card or mobile wallet to transfer between trips on buses and the O-Train. You won’t be charged again as long as you are within the regular transfer window.

You will never be charged more than the price of DayPass over the period of one day. Each month, you will not be charged more than the price of an Adult monthly pass. You can track your trips and charges at o-payment.octranspo.com.

Read more about O-Payment.

Children 10 years and under ride at no charge on OC Transpo. You can get a Child card which will allow your child to tap on a bus or through a fare gate.

Read more about how to get a Child card.

Children 11 and 12 must get a Presto card with a pre-teen discount set on the Presto card. A pre-teen discount must be set in advance in person at a Shoppers Drug Mart / Loblaws / Real Canadian Superstore or at the OC Transpo Customer Service Centre at Rideau Centre. Please bring proof of age.

Read more about Pre-teen fares.

A Community Pass discount is offered to the Primary Beneficiary who receive benefits directly from the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). More information on the Community Pass.

The EquiPass program offers transit fares for eligible people on a low income. You can purchase a monthly pass or pay-as-you-go for 50% off the cost of adult fares. See if you qualify for an EquiPass.

No, monthly passes are not refundable.

If you have a specific reason, such as medical, as to why your pass cannot be used for a particular month on both OC Transpo and Para Transpo, please call OC Transpo Customer Service at 613-560-5000 to discuss with an agent. Proof will be required, such as a medical note stating that you could not take transit during the full month.

Yes, you can request a refund if your card is registered. There will be a 4% administration fee on the funds and your card must be surrendered. The $4 initial cost of the card is non-refundable.

If you have $50 or less in funds on your card, you can request a refund (less the administration fee) at an OC Transpo Customer Service Centre. If you have over $50 in funds on your card, please mail your card with a refund request form to Presto directly.

If your card is registered, you can transfer your balance to a new card if it gets lost or stolen.

1. Go to prestocard.ca and report your card lost or stolen (it can take up to 24 hours to be blocked on the readers – you are responsible for charges during this period).
2. Purchase a new card at an in-person location (do not load a monthly pass).
3. Go back online to start the transfer to your new card.

You also can order a new card online at prestocard.ca, although it will take 7 to 10 business days to arrive. The new card will cost $4 and will require a minimum load of $0.05 to $5.00.

If your registered Presto card is damaged or defective, bring it to the OC Transpo Customer Service Centre in the Rideau Centre. We will check the card, confirm that it is registered and that you are the registered owner. We will confirm that it is no longer functioning and give you a replacement card at no charge.

You cannot sell your Presto card if:

• It is registered in your name (registration can’t be changed).
• It has a discount set on it.
• If it was issued by a school board.

If you try to sell a card that is not legally allowed to be transferred to another customer, you face a fine of up to $600.

No, if you see a Presto card being sold online through a third party or by another customer, it is not a guaranteed safe purchase: you are likely being scammed, or you are buying a stolen or illegally transferred card.

See Travel tips, a section dedicated to helping riders who use our system for the first time.

Buses can arrive late as a result of:

• traffic, detours, road closures and construction
• heavy passenger loads / frequent stops
• delays on a previous trip
• weather
• lack of resources (includes not enough buses available, operators being late or ill)
• Other unplanned factors

When a bus is running late, another bus may be assigned to meet the scheduled departure times on the route. The scheduled trip may be cancelled if another bus cannot be assigned, or, if the next scheduled trip is about to begin.

We try our best to ensure that buses arrive on time. All buses are equipped with GPS, allowing staff to track late, early, or cancelled trips. Data is analyzed regularly. Staff will discuss with Bus Operators about challenges on the route, or adjust schedules and make improvements.

We recommend using the Transit app as your main source of information.

In the app, if a trip is cancelled, the time on your route will be crossed out (For example: 8:30 pm). If a trip is late, it will show the expected time of arrival.

Click here for more information on available transit apps.

For real-time next departure information, use the Next Departures widget on the home page of octranspo.com*, or text 560560 with your bus stop number. You can also call 613-560-1000 with your bus stop number to listen to automated schedule announcements, trip cancellations and next departure times.

*Our travel tools indicate real-time departures on the app, homepage, and on 560560 text massages with an asterisk. When there is no real-time data available for a route, trip, or stop, the travel tools will provide the original scheduled time only.

A bus may be delayed at the start of a line if it was coming from another trip where delays occurred, or it had encountered traffic or construction on its way to start the trip.

A bus can also be delayed at the start of a line due to Operator or bus availability.

We try our best to ensure that buses arrive on time. All buses are equipped with GPS, allowing staff to track late, early, or cancelled trips. Data is analyzed regularly. Staff will discuss with Bus Operators about challenges on the route, or adjust schedules and make improvements.

A trip can be cancelled if a bus experiences significant delays and the next scheduled vehicle is already on its way, or if there are resource issues, such as Bus Operator or vehicle availability. Additional reasons a bus may be cancelled are traffic, construction, and other unplanned factors.

We replace buses where and when we can. Since it takes time for a replacement vehicle to arrive, a cancelled bus will not be replaced if the next scheduled trip has already started on the route.

Rural commuter routes, school routes and infrequent routes are always prioritized to get a replacement bus, as customers on those routes may not have other options available.

We try our best to ensure that buses are not cancelled, or if so, are quickly replaced. All buses are equipped with GPS, allowing staff to track late, early, or cancelled trips. Data is analyzed regularly. Staff will discuss with Bus Operators about challenges on the route, or adjust schedules and make improvements.

An O-Train can arrive late if:

• There are medical or mechanic issues at a station, on a train, or on the tracks between stations
• Fire or Police Services have asked that a train be delayed

If the delay is expected to be long, we will post O-Train service disruptions on octranspo.com and on social media as soon as they occur or as soon as they are announced (for example: planned maintenance). We also send alerts to SMS and e-mail subscribers.

Click here to see all alerts or to subscribe.

If O-Train service is down unexpectedly or for planned maintenance, replacement buses will be assigned and follow the general route of the train, stopping at all stations within the closed portion.

OC Transpo will post service disruptions on octranspo.com and on social media as soon as they occur or as soon as they are announced (for example: planned maintenance). We also send alerts to SMS and e-mail subscribers.

If the service disruption is unexpected, it may take some time for replacement buses to reach the start of their routes.

More information on replacement bus service is available at:

• R1 – Line 1 replacement service
• R2 – Line 2 replacement service
• R4 – Line 4 replacement service

No refunds will be given for service issues, which include late or cancelled bus or O-Train service.

"Interlining" means a bus is running on more than one route. Reasons for interlining may be:

• The other route or trip will not take long
• Two routes serve the same area
• One route has a longer time between trips;
• Bus Operator scheduling, breaks and shift changes

OC Transpo planners look at logical routes for a bus to follow and decide if and where interlining is appropriate.

Yes, OC Transpo buses and O-Trains are accessible. Their low floors allow for easy boarding. We have allocated spaces in each vehicle for customers using assistive or mobility devices.

• More information on accessibility
• Vehicle accessibility features
• Station accessibility features
• Service animals

Yes, we offer over 9,000 free spaces at Park & Ride lots across Ottawa and nearby rural areas. The following Park & Ride lots require a paid monthly Permit:

• Baseline (before 11 am on weekdays)
• Blair (Telesat) – Gold Permit required
• Jeanne d’Arc
• Ray Friel

See details on park & ride locations and purchasing a permit.

Yes, unlimited Wi-Fi provided by TELUS is available at:

• Tunney’s Pasture
• Bayview
• Pimisi
• Lyon
• Parliament
• Rideau
• uOttawa
• Lees
• Hurdman
• Tremblay
• St-Laurent
• Cyrville
• Blair

For customers using TELUS, TELUS subsidiary brands, or other participating carriers, cellular coverage is available in underground stations and tunnels. More information.

OC Transpo personnel and emergency personnel are trained and equipped to handle all types of emergencies. In an emergency evacuation, staff will assist customers to safely clear from the bus, train, or station after situational conditions and customer needs are considered. 

OC Transpo ensures customers with disabilities can evacuate as quickly, easily and safely as possible. Customers who are unable to leave the vehicle independently will be engaged assisted directly by OC Transpo staff or emergency personnel.

See more information about evacuating from trains, buses, or stations.

There are public washrooms located in Bayview, Blair, Hurdman, Limebank and Tunney's Pasture stations. There is also a washroom in the airport terminal connected to Airport Station.

You will find a Happy Goat Café at Blair, Hurdman, and Tunney's Pasture stations.